


With This Ring (I thee wed)

by DefinitelyHuman



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Witness Protection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21882607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefinitelyHuman/pseuds/DefinitelyHuman
Summary: Cat stumbles on a massive crime ring while researching a story and gets put into witness protection, where she meets an alien by the name of Kara Danvers. Oh, and now they're married.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Cat Grant
Comments: 19
Kudos: 134
Collections: Super Santa Femslash 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FromKrypton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FromKrypton/gifts).



“Okay, Miss Grant, we’re almost done here.”

Cat wants to scream, wants to throw something across the room. Almost done here, sure. Almost done after six hours of filling out paperwork and being constantly reminded how important this all is. What’s riding on her cooperation.

Honestly, if they wanted her to cooperate they should’ve made this process a lot easier.

The only thing keeping her in check is knowing it’s not the Marshall’s fault any of this is happening. He wasn’t in charge of the investigation that led Cat to discovering a massive organized crime front, and he wasn’t the one who put out a hit on Cat’s life. A hit for enough money even Cat had paused when she saw it. And much as she hates to run, Cat knows that much money will bring trouble she can’t avoid. Probably sooner rather than later.

Still. Hiding has never been Cat’s default response, and it rankles she has to do so this time around. And without Carter at her side to really top off the whole mess. The Marshalls had argued, and Cat eventually agreed, that having him with her would be too obvious if someone was looking for her. And with her as the main target, he was safer somewhere else.

So Carter would be spending the next few months with his father under their own witness protection relocation, and Cat would be spending them in some godforsaken Midwest town trying not to die of boredom before a hitman can find her and make it quick. Not her idea of a good time at all.

The Marshall, James, Cat thinks she remembers, is clearly waiting for an answer. And once Cat gets her temper under control, she gives him one.

“What else do you need me to sign,” she asks, assuming it’ll be another sheet of paper detailing the Witness Protection guidelines intended to keep her safe. She’s seen dozens of those today, all carefully phrased to avoid inciting a panic as they detailed everything that could possibly go wrong if she didn’t follow directions and somehow managed to give herself away. Not the cheeriest of days, but at this point Cat’s more upset by the tedium than the warnings. At least the Midwest has to have some kind of view, right? Something other than this blank walled government office Cat’s been stuck in for too long.

“Actually, we’re just waiting on the final confirmation of your living arrangements,” James says, smiling like he knows what she’s thinking. And given the fact he’s been here just as long as she has, Cat bets he does. “We don’t run the program until you’re on location in a staging office like this one. Less chance of interception that way.”

It makes a certain amount of sense, but Cat has to bite her tongue to keep from asking what happens if the final confirmations don’t go well. Does she get shipped to another office to do this whole thing over again?

A knock on the door shakes Cat from her thoughts, and she looks over to see a rather frail looking man in the doorway. Unlike the solidly muscular presence of James, this man looks like the computer nerds Cat keeps around the office for IT work. Not exactly an impressive display of government protective capabilities given he’s only the second person she’s seen in the office.

“Hey, James. Can I talk to you for a second?”

He sounds worried, and Cat fixes him with a glare he doesn’t deserve. A government official looking that worried while her life is on the line can’t be a good thing, but it doesn’t mean it’s his fault. Still, Cat’s never been known for being particularly kind to the messenger.

James is frowning too, Cat notices when she looks away from the man in the door. “Winn, I’m not leaving Miss Grant’s side until she’s settled in the safehouse, you know that.”

“Okay, but what about, like, coming to the door? That’s still close, right?”

Apparently it’s enough to satisfy them both, and James shoots Cat an apologetic look before crossing the room for a whispered conference Cat tries in vain to overhear. But they’re too quiet for her to make out the words.

Until- “What do you mean the safehouse was already claimed! I had a stop in the system for it!”

Well. It looks like her earlier hypothetical isn’t so hypothetical after all.

“I know, but Marshall Lane took the stop off? There’s a note about having a priority one placement she needs settled ASAP.”

There’s more back and forth along those lines for a moment, long enough Cat starts to actually wonder if James has any idea what to do next. Surely there can’t be only one safehouse in whatever flyover state they’re in?

“James, I’m sorry.” Oh, that’s a new voice. A woman, one Cat can’t see from this vantage point. And clearly one James has history with, if she’s any judge. “I have to get my witness placed today, and this is the only place secure enough for her.”

“It’s also the only space secure enough for my charge, Lucy, which is why I put a stop on it. Can’t you use the place in Norfolk?”

“Mob run construction crews just set up three blocks away. Norfolk’s been decommissioned until construction is complete and the area is resecured.”

James swears at the news, and Cat finds herself agreeing with the sentiment. Still, she knows better than to risk mob involvement. Even if they’re not the ones looking for her, or whoever Lucy is protecting, they know everything going on in the criminal underworld. And with the money being thrown around on her bounty, there’s no chance they wouldn’t put two and two together if she shows up anywhere nearby. The same is probably true for Lucy’s witness too.

“Look, I know you can’t put your charge there, but is there nowhere else? I’m dealing with a two million dollar price tag here, I need that safehouse.”

The voices quiet back down after that, leaving Cat to stew in her own thoughts. Government efficiency at its finest, she supposes. Still, if she’s going to trust them with her life, she’d better start now. James seems like a solid kind of guy, devoted to doing the right thing. Undoubtedly he’s trustworthy if he’s given cases that could net him multiple millions of dollars, and at this point Cat doesn’t have much else to lose.

After a few long minutes James comes back into the room. He’s got a sheepish look on his face, and Cat instantly goes on the defensive.

“Miss Grant, I’m sure you heard some of that. Let me first say we’re 100% committed to keeping you safe until your trial date. In this case, that means we have to try something a little unorthodox.”

Fixing him with a pointed stare, Cat lets the silence stretch for a few seconds until he shifts uncomfortably under her gaze. “And what exactly does that entail?”

“Well, for obvious reasons we don’t like placing multiple witnesses in close proximity,” James starts, referencing a file in his hands. “But there really is no other option right now, and Marshall Lane and I both agree on the necessity. So you’ll have company during your stay in the safehouse, a young woman who is also waiting for her case to go to trial. Unrelated to yours, and we think the presence of another person in the house might actually help throw off any searchers.”

She’s trusting them, Cat repeats to herself as the news sinks in. She can’t protect herself, and James has been reliable so far. Maybe they’re right and this will be safer. But either way, it’s her only option.

“Fine, if it keeps me safe I’m sure I can deal with a roommate for a while. As long as she’s Democrat, I’m not dealing with several months of political debate with some flat Earth anti-vaxxer.” Cat’s well aware she doesn’t have much negotiating power right about now, but she’s very firm on that one. She’d end up blowing their cover within a week if she’s subjected to Fox News every day.

Thankfully James smiles and shakes his head. “No, Miss Grant. And normally you’d get no details about any other cases I’m working or familiar with, but for your protection you’ll both be given a basic briefing so you know what topics to avoid mentioning in public. I don’t think you’ll have a problem with her.”   
Cat listens carefully as he details what she can expect, brows raising as she’s informed her new roommate is an alien. And not from another country, another planet altogether. That will certainly keep things interesting.

“So you see, Miss Grant,” James says earnestly as he finishes the basic rundown, “neither of you should mention aliens or alien amnesty in public. Just as you won’t mention the National City arrests and investigations. Miss Danvers is the government’s strongest case for increasing protections for aliens in the country, and the extremist groups know that. We can’t give anyone a reason to look at either of you too closely.”

It’s the same general warnings from the papers she’d already signed, and Cat nods her agreement as they finish up the last few details. Once they’re done here, she’ll meet up with this Miss Danvers to go over their cover story. Apparently Lucy and Winn are working on that now.

“Hey, you guys ready?”

Speaking of, the woman Cat recognizes from her voice is standing in the doorway now, mostly blocking the view of another person right behind her. Cat’s new roommate, she presumes.

“Yeah, we just finished up. You have a cover figured out?” James stands and gestures for Cat to do the same, leading her towards the door and the still hidden woman.

“Didn’t have much of a choice, so yeah. Winn’s getting the documents loaded into the system now, should be ready in about twenty minutes. In the meantime, Miss Grant, why don’t you and Miss Danvers get acquainted? Maybe get used to your new names?”

With that, Lucy hands Cat a freshly printed drivers license, and Cat takes a second to study the details. Jessica Bryant, easy enough to remember. She doesn’t think it fits her that well, but all the better to throw off those searching for her.

“Hi, I’m Kara-well, I guess I should just use this name, right?” Cat hears as she’s studying, and she looks up to see a gorgeous woman in front of her. “I’m Nicole Bryant, and it’s nice to meet you.”

“Jessica Bryant,” Cat manages to say, eyes narrowing as the names register. 

“Oh, almost forgot, you’ll need these,” Lucy says, popping her head back around. In her hand are two rings, and Cat’s suspicions are rapidly growing into certainties.

“You’re posing us as a married couple?”

“It’s a one bedroom safehouse, only option that fits.”

That may or may not be true, but this isn’t what Cat signed up for. Sharing a safehouse with a complete stranger, and now they’re supposed to pretend they’re married? Lucy must be out of her mind.

As if summoned by her sudden disbelief, James shows up behind Lucy. “Miss Grant, I know it seems like a lot, but trust me when I say this is the best option. Newlyweds moving in together will be a perfectly reasonable cover story, and give you both some protection from prying questions. And when a better solution comes up, we’ll get you both settled in separate safehouses as soon as we can.”

Nodding her agreement, Cat does the only thing she can and gives in. Not like she has much of a choice, not if she wants to survive for more than a week.

“Well, I guess we’ve got a lot to learn about each other in a very short amount of time,” Cat says once the Marshalls depart, gesturing towards the table and chairs. “We should get started on that, don’t you think?”

“Probably for the best,” Kara agrees, moving past Cat to sit. “So, what do you want to know?”

“Why don’t we start at the beginning and you run me through the person Marshall Lane built for you?” Cat suggests, settling into her own seat.

And as Kara starts talking, using her hands in widely animated gestures that Cat can’t help smiling at, she wonders if this is as big a mess as she’d first thought. Sure, she’s just met the woman, and sure there’s the whole ‘is an alien’ thing Cat has to wrap her head around. But Kara is also funny, and smart, and absolutely breathtaking when she smiles.

Maybe it won’t be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

“Wow, they weren’t kidding when they said one bedroom.”

It’s the same thought Cat had when she’d entered the house. The living room was tiny, with a kitchen tucked almost awkwardly off behind it. There was no dining room to speak of, and the table edged into the living room’s space, leaving the sitting area to feel cramped even further than the space constraints. A door off to the side presumably leads to the bedroom, and that’s it for the house.

There’s no back door, and even the windows feel small. Better for a defensible position, Cat supposes, but the effect is somewhat claustrophobic. Tolerable for one person, but with two it’s going to get tight, fast.

It gets worse when James enters, carrying the single large box of Cat’s possessions she’d been allowed to bring. He’s dressed in coveralls and posing as their mover to help get them settled in. Useful, but not great for the limited room they’re working with.

At least everything looks clean and well cared for. It’s not what Cat’s gotten used to over the years, but it’s livable. And she can spot the telltale signs of a state-of-the-art security system, which helps calm some of her fears.

“There’s a safe room in the basement, shielded with Nth metal and fully contained. There are supplies in there to last you a week, even with Nicole’s enhanced metabolic needs. If you activate it, we’ll receive a signal and scramble response teams. So please, don’t go in the basement unless you need to take cover. This is our most secure safe location, and relocating you would compromise your safety. Not something any of us want.”

He’s utterly serious, and Cat realizes with a chill that this safehouse means they’ll be leaving the comforting protection of direct surveillance. It’d been a challenge to deal with having her movements so closely scrutinized, but there’d been some level of comfort as well. Having someone there to watch out for her means she’s never alone.

It makes her glad for Kara’s presence here. What the other woman can do when she’s looking for protection of her own is irrelevant. Whether Kara can keep them safe or not, having her here means Cat doesn’t have to face the coming nights alone with only her thoughts.

A few more trips from the moving van, and a few more security features pointed out from James, and the door closes behind him for the last time. This is it, they’re on their own at last.

“We should probably get settled in,” Kara says from the kitchen, opening cabinets and taking stock of what’s there. “I’ll let you decide on closet and sleeping arrangements while I go through things out here, if you like.”

Right. Their cover story has them posing as newlyweds. Because this place only has the one room, which means only the one bed. Somehow Cat hadn’t thought that far ahead while they were rushing through the planning stages of all this.

Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Kara stops what she’s doing to look over at Cat. “I mean, if it’ll make you more comfortable, I can sleep on the couch or something. The blinds should keep people from looking in at us.”

“They won’t stop infrared scanners,” Cat points out after she gathers her wits. “There’s really not much of a choice, and as long as you don’t kick I’m sure we’ll get used to it sooner rather than later.”

At least the bed is a king size mattress. It’s massive in the small room, but it’ll give them some distance so they don’t feel crowded. After years of sleeping alone, trying to squeeze into a queen or a full would be too much for Cat. She likes her space these days. Even from gorgeous blondes who can make her question her old decision to exclusively date men. If someone like Kara had been around when Cat was twenty, she might’ve made an entirely different decision, and then where would she be? Would she still have CatCo? Carter? Or would the scandal have dashed her hopes before they were realized?

Not that it matters much now, her current predicament is causing enough in the way of scandals and life-changing upsets. Only the fact she’d been very careful to leave contingency plans in place to thwart the Board are keeping her company afloat, and Cat knows they won’t last forever. This whole mess with Witness Protection and potential trial dates had better move quickly, or she won’t have a company to go back to.

Realizing she’s been standing, lost in thought, for long enough to make Kara look worried, Cat hurries to the bedroom and away from the concerned glances. She has no idea what Kara’s situation is, whether she’d understand Cat’s worries at all. But regardless, Cat isn’t one to share. Especially not with a complete stranger.

Instead she focuses on getting her things settled, taking notice of the various outfits hanging in the closet and settled in the dresser. She can’t be Cat Grant, media mogul here. She has to be Jessica Bryant, newlywed call center worker. And the clothes reflect that. 

Still, the lack of fashion is the least of her concerns right now. And at least she won’t have to actually work. Their cover story has her working from home, the better to limit chances of someone recognizing her. Kara’s new job at a veterinary clinic will be relatively regular hours, giving Cat some privacy without risking people wondering why both women are inside all day. And Kara seems happier with the work, Cat thinks. It’s hard to tell with someone she’s just met, but Kara’s so straightforward in her interactions it’s easy to assume.

“I have dinner ready.”

Cat wants to bark out a sarcastic comment about not expecting a fifties housewife when they’d slipped the rings on, but she already can’t bring herself to slip into her usual snarky defensive tactics. Not with Kara, and not when they’re both in the same situation here.

And it’s a nice gesture. She doesn’t know about alien cultures, but sharing a meal is a solid icebreaker here on Earth and she’s sure Kara knows that. The lack of accent in her words is a sure sign she’s been around long enough to lose whatever trace of her native language remains. Undoubtedly she’s picked up a decent amount of human tips and tricks along the way.

Kara’s made spaghetti, enough to feed a family of five, and a loaf of garlic bread. “I, um, I eat a lot,” she says when she notices Cat looking. And then she flushes in embarrassment, and Cat feels herself drawn forward.

“James did mention something about enhanced metabolism,” Cat says, trying for normal. Even tone, no judgement in her words.

Kara brightens immediately at the lack of a sharp comment, and Cat thinks that smile might be the hardest part of all this. How is she supposed to remain unattached when Kara is this adorable? And attractive, no matter how Cat tries to ignore that bit. And they’re supposedly married now, living in a tiny one bedroom for the foreseeable future. Even Cat’s legendary walls won’t stand firm in the face of an onslaught like this.

“I need about ten thousand calories a day, give or take,” Kara explains, gesturing Cat towards the plates. “So you should definitely take what you want first. I can make myself a snack or something after dinner if there’s not enough, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a nice meal.”

Cat just nods, trying to wrap her head around that amount of food. No wonder Kara made enough for five people, if she’s supposed to eat fives times what an average human should. That’s a lot of food. She’ll have to keep that in mind if she’s ever the one cooking for them. Or if she falls back on an old displacement activity and starts baking. After all, she’s not actually going to be working all day and Kara will. The least she can do is make a few meals or snacks for the woman.

And if she makes enough for Kara to take with her, they can cement the charade of a doting new wife back at home. To lend credence to their stories, of course.

As instructed, Cat takes her portion and settles at the table. Kara’s appetite means she can take as much as she wants without fear of judgement, and for the first time in over a decade Cat lets herself fill a plate completely, not just to some acceptable standard. It’s surprisingly freeing.

“I hope it’s okay. I know pasta usually works for people, and I figured they probably asked about food allergies and stuff before stocking the kitchen, so I figured spaghetti was a safe choice. Especially for my cooking skills.”

Cat thinks it’s unfair the way Kara’s cute even when rambling, something Cat would never tolerate from the people in her life back in National City. True, most of those people were her employees and rambling would only waste time, and that’s not a consideration here. It’s still a departure from her normal that can be directly traced to Kara. And she thinks, somehow, she should be more upset by that.

“It’s wonderful,” she says, instead of dwelling on anything else. “I don’t eat pasta often, so it’a a refreshing change.”

There, that’s safe enough, surely.

Dinner conversation flows easily enough after that, Cat eating slowly as she watches Kara tuck away a literally inhuman amount of noodles and bread. But she’s careful not to stare or make a big deal out of the amount. It’d been clear earlier that Kara feels self-conscious about her eating habits, and Cat doesn’t want to make it worse.

Instead they talk about commonplaces, learning more about each other in ways that both matter and don’t. Their safety depends on avoiding the deeper topics that landed them both in this situation, but it also depends on knowing each other well enough to pretend they’re married. It’s a delicate balancing act. One that leaves them covering the basics like favorite movies and foods, favorite colors and seasons. Commonplaces, things a newlywed couple should definitely know about the other.

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen Star Wars,” Kara says later, while they’re cleaning up from the meal they’d finally finished. “They’re classics! Not to mention the way they influenced American culture.”

“I never saw the point. They weren’t my style and I had better things to spend my time and money on. Even when Carter-”

Cat stops abruptly, putting down the dish she’d been drying and trying to ignore the stab of pain that comes with the thought of her son. She’d been doing so well at keeping her thoughts focused on the here and now and not on how much she missed him.

Kara stops her washing when Cat doesn’t move for a solid minute, putting the sponge down and reaching for a dish towel. “Carter?”

She shouldn’t mention him. Cat knows that, knows it’s not safe. Even with soundproofing and curtains covering the windows, any mention of their past lives is a risk. But this is her son, and if Kara’s going to pose as her wife, she needs to know. What happens if someone asks when they’re having kids and Cat freezes up this way? If Kara’s not expecting it they could blow their cover. And besides, Cat knows there’s no way she can go months without mentioning her son to anyone. At least Kara is safe, even if their surroundings aren’t.

“Carter is my son,” Cat says, voice barely a whisper. “They decided it was too obvious to keep us together, so he’s with my ex. I don’t know where.”

To her surprise, Kara just nods her understanding. “I couldn’t stay with my family, either. Too hard to disguise a full family together, so they split us up. I don’t know where my mother or my sister are, or when it’ll be safe to see them again.”

The reporter in Cat seizes on the information as a distraction from her own pain. “And your family, are they-?”

Kara looks conflicted before letting out a sigh. “They’re human. I was supposed to be human too, or at least pretend I was. Safer that way. But when the anti-alien attacks started I couldn’t just sit and do nothing.”

Knowing what she does about the attacks, Cat understands. They were horrible things. To someone like Kara, who clearly cares more than the average person, especially about something so close to home, they must have been even worse. Cat had done everything she could do cover the situation with the Tribune, and it hadn’t felt like enough. But the alien community, so hidden away from what people could see, didn’t often reach for outside help. And Cat wasn’t about to barge in and shatter what privacy they had left.

Kara, though, Kara was one of them. Sure, she could pass for human, but that couldn’t erase who she was. She’d be able to help far more than Cat ever could. Unfortunately, that clearly landed her in a lot of trouble if she’s here with Cat.

But that’s edging towards truly dangerous conversation topics, so Cat backs off. She already knows more than she should. “To family,” she says instead, raising her glass for a toast to change the subject. It’s just water, but it’s the motions that count.

Kara seems thrown by the abrupt change, but she goes with it without too much trouble. “To family.”

They fall quiet after that, each lost in their own thoughts. And they stay quiet until it’s time for bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Somehow, Cat expected this to be more awkward than it is. But instead it’s just like college all over again, the dance for a shower and bathroom space to get ready for bed, the careful not looking to give a little more privacy. Maybe it’s like riding a bike, Cat thinks.

Or maybe it’s the increased comfort that comes from knowing someone is hurting the same way you are. They may be wildly different in almost every way, but they’ve got that shared pain as common ground. Cat might wish it were something less, well, painful, but it works. 

“Are you sure this is okay?” Kara asks when they’ve both changed. They’re standing next to the bed, Cat on her chosen right side and Kara on the left, staring at the mattress. This part isn’t like college at all. “I can still sleep on the couch, or I could float next to the bed.”

Filing away the new tidbit about Kara’s abilities, Cat shakes her head. Awkward or not, she’d rather deal with someone she knows encroaching on her personal space than armed gunmen bursting through the door. “We talked about that. If they have infrared scanners that would give us away.”

“If they have infrared scanners, aren’t we already busted?”

Cat pushes away the chill that comes with the words, distracting herself by pulling down the comforter and slipping into bed. “It’s still better safe than sorry, now get in bed before we have to manufacture a lovers spat and send the neighbors gossiping.”

This was supposed to be the easy part, Cat thinks as they lie in bed. Sleeping, she doesn’t have to worry about whether she’ll blow their cover. She can just relax and let herself trust the security systems the Marshalls provided.

Instead, she’s lying in bed staring up at the ceiling. Hyper aware of Kara’s warmth next to her. And certain that Kara is also lying there awake. Maybe the couch wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Sure it’s a security risk, but there are ways to counter it, right? Like that lovers spat.

Maybe then she wouldn’t be awake at 1am, trying to figure out what the hell is affecting her so much. Sure, she’s not used to having someone in her bed anymore. Hasn’t been for years. But this is a king size memory foam mattress. There’s no hint of Kara’s presence in the jostling of the bed as she moves. So what’s going on here?

“Are you sure I shouldn’t just take the couch?” The voice is quiet in the darkness, and for long seconds Cat wants to give in and let Kara make the shift. Maybe then she’d get some actual rest.

But the thought of banishing Kara to the living room doesn’t feel right. Not for their cover, and not to the stirrings of actual caring Cat can feel taking root. She doesn’t want to banish Kara because Kara doesn’t deserve it. And she doesn’t deserve being kept awake all night because Cat has some strange hang up about the whole thing.

“No, it’s fine,” Cat says before Kara can take her silence as direction. “I’m just not used to having someone in the same bed.”

“I used to share with Alex sometimes, when Earth was too much for me. I’d focus on her heartbeat and know my new family was there for me, just like my first one. It helped.”

“Are you seriously suggesting we cuddle?” Cat asks, sitting up a little to look over at Kara. Even in the dim light she can tell the other woman is blushing, and she watches as Kara stammers for a few seconds.

“No! I mean, I love cuddling and I think it’s totally something friends can do without it being weird, but I know not everyone thinks that? So mostly I let people set their own comfort levels and you definitely don’t seem comfortable with the idea. Like at all, so I definitely wasn’t suggesting cuddling. Though I’m not opposed.”

Taking pity on the poor girl, Cat lays back down and reaches out a hand to shush Kara before she can ramble on for the rest of the night. “I was joking. It was a good suggestion, anyway. Find something to focus on to tune out my worries, right?”

“Right.”

Turning on her side and taking a deep breath, Cat tries to do just that. She’s never been one for meditation, but she knows the basic idea. Slowing her breathing and trying to find one thing to focus on, she thinks of Carter. Of his smile, of the worry in his eyes when Cat finally had to admit the threats on their lives were serious. That Carter would be in danger from her actions.

The way he’d cried when they’d parted ways.

Before she knows it, Cat’s sobbing into the pillow. She misses her son, she misses her life, and she just wants this to be over. Screw the court case, screw the Marshalls, she just wants her son.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Warm arms are pulling her close, and despite her earlier thoughts about personal space, Cat goes willingly. How long has it been since someone held her like this? How long since she’d cried?

She doesn’t remember the real answer, but it’s apparently long enough that Cat spends the next ten minutes crying before she can get herself under control. She hasn’t really given herself a chance to breathe over the past few weeks, let alone deal with everything that’s going on.

“You must think I’m a mess,” Cat apologizes when the tears finally slow, wiping her cheeks on the comforter and trying to even out her breathing. 

She can feel the way the bed moves as Kara shakes her head. “Not at all! I think you’re a very strong woman in a very tough situation. It’s okay to need a break now and then.”

Cat bites back a retort about this being less of a break and more of a breakdown. Kara’s just trying to help. Cat being difficult won’t make anything better. And besides, she kind of likes how it feels, having someone looking out for her. Even if that someone is a virtual stranger.

With Kara’s arms around her, it surprisingly doesn’t take Cat long to fall asleep. Maybe there’s something to that whole ‘find a connection to another person’ thing.


	4. Chapter 4

Cat wakes up alone the next morning.

There’s a pang at that fact, one she tries very hard to ignore. This is just a cover story, just a safety precaution. She is not finding herself attracted to her alien fake wife. That would be ridiculous, and Cat’s long decided she’s too sensible for a midlife crisis.

No, last night was just a much needed and temporary emotional breakdown. Cat needed one to reset and refocus on her new of life waiting for an end to this mess. Nothing more and nothing less. She will be thankful to Kara when she sees her, and hopefully avoid such an embarrassing situation moving forward.

With that thought firmly in mind, Cat gets out of bed to start the day. She takes a quick shower before pulling on the least offensive of her new cover story clothes, and heads out to the main sitting area.

“Hey, I hope I didn’t wake you,” Kara says when Cat emerges. “I was hoping to have breakfast finished for you first. I wasn’t sure what you usually eat so I just made a little of everything.”

The counters are covered with breakfast items, and Cat feels a traitorous burst of warmth at the sight. There are pancakes and waffles, scrambled eggs and bacon, a pile of blueberry muffins, even what looks like a plate of crepes. 

Kara’s finishing up an omelette at the stove, and Cat debates whether she wants to wait for it or sample one of the meals already finished. She doesn’t normally eat breakfast, and it’s been years since she had a good omelette. Usually when she does have something it’s a bagel or whatever uninspired spread the board sets out when they insist on meeting in the morning. 

Crossing the room and seeing Kara’s almost finished with what she’s working on, Cat makes her decision. The rest of the spread looks amazing, but she’s lured by the siren song of the peppers and ham she can see in the skillet. Not just an omelette, then, but one packed with all of Cat’s favorites. “You didn’t have to do all this, but thank you.”

“Of course I did,” Kara says without missing a beat, deftly tipping the skillet and sliding the omelette onto a waiting plate. “You had a rough night, and the best cure for those is good food in the morning. Helps get you back on your feet and ready to face the next fight.”

With that she offers the plate to Cat, an understanding smile on her face. And normally the vulnerability that comes from being seen so clearly would have Cat pulling away, but when they’re stuck together like this there isn’t much room for distance. Not without making things uncomfortable and possibly giving away their secret.

So instead Cat just takes the plate, settling at the table and reminding herself to play nicely. Kara’s done nothing but be kind to her, she doesn’t need the usual cutting comments Cat has perfected. 

“When do you start work?” Cat asks as she watches Kara pile a plate high with the pancakes and waffles Cat had bypassed.

“Next Monday.” It’s Thursday now, Cat thinks as she does the math in her head. “I’m scheduled for full time, but Lucy said they aren’t usually very busy, so I might get sent home early a lot.”

Kara sounds excited about the new job, and Cat has to smile at the enthusiasm. She won’t have a job of her own to do, but Kara seems happier with a promise of getting out and interacting with people. Cat doesn’t share the enthusiasm, but it’s nice to see a smile on Kara’s face.

They chat a little more about Kara’s new job, Cat taking the opportunity to steer discussions back towards lighter things after the emotional revelations of the night before. She can let Kara in to protect the peace in the safehouse, but that doesn’t mean she wants to dwell on it.

“I, uh, I was going to explore the neighborhood a little today, maybe meet some of the neighbors. See where the shops are. Things like that.”

Cat wants to protest immediately. She’s so used to closed doors and secrets these days. It’s safer with walls around them both. Walls to keep them safe and keep people out.

But in a neighborhood like this, that would only attract suspicion. It’s bad enough they’re the new people on the street, if they stay holed up inside people will talk. And that will make them stand out if anyone starts asking around.

And besides that, Cat can already tell staying cooped up that much would probably kill Kara. The blonde is outgoing and enthusiastic, and the way she talks about her upcoming job tells Cat it’s more than just a cover. She really is that excited to be working and helping.

It’s a stark contrast to Cat’s outlook on life. Sure, she can do the social butterfly thing. Sometimes she even loves it immensely. But that’s when she can be the center of attention. When everyone’s eye is on her and she knows it. Right now, that could spell a death sentence for them both.

So given the current circumstances, Cat would much prefer some quiet anonymity. If she were on her own, she’d ask the Marshals to play up the solitary recluse angle in her backstory. Give her some reason to stay home most of the time and avoid contact. They might turn her down, Cat knows most of the fields she’s qualified in enough to be a complete recluse would tie back to her life as Cat Grant all too easily. But she can dream, right? It’s out of her hands one way or another now, she might as well dream big.

As if reading her hesitation, Kara pushes forward. “I mean, I know it’s a bit much to go out right now, and you’re definitely the more recognizable of us. But I think if we make some friends in the area it’ll make everything a lot safer for us both. If someone starts asking around about one of us, we’ll have friends who won’t say anything to them. And would warn us in enough time we could contact someone to help us out.”

Cat can see the value of a support net, even if she doesn’t quite agree with all of Kara’s conclusions. “I suppose we could take a walk around the place, take in the layout. See how well our cover stories work when people aren’t looking for inconsistencies.”

There’s still some hesitation, but Cat’s never been one to back down without a fight. And even if she’s happier behind secure walls, some part of her knows that wouldn’t last. If she stays trapped in this house for too long she might go mad.

Which is how she finds herself stuck in inane small talk an hour later, Kara’s arm around her shoulder as she wraps her own around Kara’s waist. She’s trying to make it look natural, but the contact is so unfamiliar Cat knows she’s not wholly succeeding. 

“Oh now dear, don’t you worry,” the woman- Cat forgot her name already- says when it becomes too obvious to ignore. “This neighborhood is very welcoming of same-sex partners. Mark and Joe live two houses down from you, and there’s a few other couples in the area. I think they even have a game night just for the gay relationships, no straight people allowed!”

Cat forces a laugh at the news, already guessing Kara will have them dragged to one of those game nights before too long. At least Cat really is bi, she won’t have to play another part on top of her fake marriage. Nothing would give them away faster than trying to pretend to attraction she doesn’t feel in a room full of people who would know the difference.

She also tries to relax, at least enough to convince the couple in front of them everything is fine. Kara’s her usual bubbly self, and the husband shoots Cat a commiserating look when his wife answers the same way. He seems a lot calmer than the woman, not that that’s hard. She definitely gives Kara a run for her money in terms of sheer exuberance.

Thankfully the conversation doesn’t last much longer, and Kara leads the way down the road. “You know, you could be nicer,” she says when they’re out of earshot.

From anyone else it would sound like a criticism. One Cat’s heard many, many times over the years. But from Kara it’s somehow tempered. Not so much a criticism as an encouragement. And that saves her from one of Cat’s reflexive snaps in return.

Because Kara’s right, she could be. But Cat can’t shake the tension from her frame, the hawk eyed looks around them as they walk. Is someone staring at them, some glance lingering a little too long? Will someone recognize her?

It’s a faint chance, Cat knows that. With her hair a mess and in casual clothes, she looks utterly unlike the Cat Grant anyone here would recognize. She looks like who she’s pretending to be, Jessica Bryant. A newly married woman with a boring job making standard service calls for eight hours a day. And she knows enough about the tech side of CatCo to make intelligent conversation if asked, especially because Jessica Bryant doesn’t actually handle any of the important details. Her job is making sure the right service teams show up for the right jobs, and keeping track of their visits in a computer system. Easy enough to fake with a script or two.

“The longer we’re here without anyone jumping out at us, the nicer I’ll be,” Cat says after a few more steps. It’s all the concession she can give. This doesn’t come easily enough to her, no matter how many times she’s had to pretend and play nice over the years. None of those times had as much riding on them as this whole situation.

Finishing their turn around the neighborhood, Cat picks out a few of the neighbors mentioned. The couple she assumes are Mark and Joe wave cheerily as they circle back and past their house, and come away with the invitation Cat knew was coming. She even managed to pull off appearing teasing in her grudging acceptance of Kara’s puppy dog eyes.

Even better, she’d managed to hide her actual reaction to the look.

At least she was fairly certain she had, thought the way Mark was smirking tells Cat he’d seen  _ something.  _ And unfortunately she couldn’t say anything or she’d give the whole thing away. Not just her reaction, but the fact she knows she shouldn’t be feeling that spike of attraction. It’s normal for newlyweds, sure. But Cat isn’t actually married to Kara. What’s normal for a wife is different for a fake spouse of convenience.

It doesn’t take much longer after that conversation to make it back to the safehouse. Cat’s the first in, watching as Kara shuts and locks the door. It’s discretely reinforced with the same Nth metal from the basement. Not as secure as the safe room, but a measure of protection Cat greatly appreciates.

The walk around the neighborhood took more out of her than she’d realized, Cat thinks as she sinks down onto the couch, staring at the locked door and using it as a focus while she tries to get her breathing under control.

Kara stays respectfully back as Cat deals with the sudden spike of anxiety, far enough to avoid overwhelming her without being so far Cat feels alone. It’s a measure of tact Cat appreciates, and when she’s calm once more she waves Kara over to the seat next to her.

“Are you okay?” Kara asks as she sits, still watching Cat carefully. “Your heart was racing.”

Apparently Kara can hear heart rates. Cat files that away with what scraps she’s learned so far. It’s an intriguing puzzle, especially with a layer of caution that keeps them from discussing it fully. They can share some things, safely locked away from the world and its threats, but not everything.

“That’s the first time I’ve been outside, really outside, since this whole mess started. It hit me harder than I thought it would” It’s barely an explanation, but Kara nods as if it makes all the sense in the world.

“I still think it’s a good idea to go out and meet our neighbors, but we can keep things more contained for the next few times,” she offers, shifting a little closer as Cat relaxes further. “Grocery runs, specific visits. No long walks around the whole neighborhood for a while. Not until you’re more comfortable.”

Cat thinks that will work, knows from experience that having a focus or a task helps immensely when it comes to her anxiety. Even a walk to the market, objectively just as long as their walk today, would have an objective to keep in mind. And with enough trips out that don’t end in someone recognizing her, she’ll gradually be able to relax.

At least, she hopes.

She tells Kara as much, and can’t help smiling in response to the beaming grin Kara shoots her way.

“Alright, then we have a goal. And in the meantime for tonight, why don’t you go relax for a bit and I’ll make us dinner? There was some chicken in there, how does chicken parmesan sound?”

“Easy on the cheese for mine, but it sounds wonderful,” Cat says as she stands. A nice, hot shower sounds amazing right now, and dinner ready afterwards is the perfect solution for her lingering nerves.

And when Kara starts work, Cat will return the favor. She’ll have the full day to prepare, maybe she can even bake something. A nice meal with homemade bread, and blueberry muffins for breakfast the next morning should be a proper thanks, right?

Leaving off her thoughts, Cat heads towards their bedroom while Kara heads for the kitchen. And if she has to try a little harder than before to shake off the thoughts about how domestic everything is, well. She’s tired. Her thoughts are bound to wonder, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After holiday recovery is a helluva trip. Sorry for the delay.


End file.
